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End of School/Beginning of Summer
By Margot | June 15, 2011
Andy at Hoover Dam
Boys in front of Hoover Dam
Morning Gang at Sam's All Star Lemonade Stand that we did for Touch a Truck
Afternoon crew, Mack, Grant and Dane drinking lemonade
Back of the TeamSam "Get in the Game" T-shirts
Picture of Lemonade Stand
Afternoon crew with Sam's pic.
It’s been an emotional few weeks. We did a lemonade stand for Touch a Truck (which was a fantastic event by the way). The Mikulaks work their tails off to set it up and it’s great for all the kids and raised a ton of money for cancer research). Everyone helped out as you can see from the pictures and now we know how to make a mean lemonade. Seeing all the nurses and cancer families there was good.
Andy’s last day of school was on Monday. Sam’s class graduated from Elementary school and seeing the boys all dressed up in their suits just brought me to my knees. I didn’t quite make it back to the car with a stiff upper lip. I went running with Meredith and Kelly afterwards and felt much better. Then today I intentially tortured myself by looking at all of the pictures and videos people put up on Facebook. Boy would Sam have been proud. We sponsored six kids this year for the Sam Hutchison Reading Scholarship to go to the reading program at UCSD and SDSU over the summer.
Today was also Charlie’s official last day of preschool. I can’t believe it. He and Andy will be in elementary together next year and we say goodbye to his little preschool. Killer. He of course says he’s so happy to be done with preschool (which I know is a front). I told him he was going to miss it and his teachers and he said, “Maybe when I’m twenty or something I’ll miss it.” He’s been hanging out with his best buddy Jett (Kelly and I are in for it when those two get older) and is looking forward to flag football camp this summer. Andy is already in a basketball camp which started the day after school let out (not the best planning by me). He goes from 9 to 4 and is exhausted by the end of the day. Yesterday he had baseball practice after camp and I thought he was going to be a puddle, he was so tired. If he were to tell you about it he would say ALL STAR baseball practice with the All Star part very loud so you didn’t miss it. It’s pretty funny. He’s doing great though and had a wonderful school year. I’m going to try and not make his whole summer running from one thing to the next though so far hasn’t worked out that way.
We took an impromtu trip to The Hoover Dam this May and I went to New York for work. The Hoover Dam was a fun spur of the moment road trip which the boys really liked. We spent a night in Vegas which was kind of a disaster, we got there too late for any of the pools or fun kid stuff to be open so the kids just saw a lot of drunk people and guys handing out icky cards. According to Fodor’s Vegas gave up on being kid friendly years ago. We met a waitress at the cafe near The Hoover Dam who said she wished the mob still ran Vegas. According to her it was so much nicer then. It was funny to meet someone nostalgic for the mob. We’re hoping to do a few trips this summer but we haven’t made plans yet.
I’ve been awful about updating this site but I’ve decided I want to keep updating it – though most people have probably given up on it. The reason I want to keep it going is because I use it so much to look back and remember Sam and what he was doing and saying and all the little details that I had forgotten. It’s such a goldmine of memories for me. I’m hoping it will be for Andy and Charlie some day too -for their memories and for them to know how much they remember and honor Sam. All of Andy’s writing from the school year came home at the end of the year and so much of it was about Sam (there were also parts in his journal that made me cry laughing). He’s such a funny kid.
Anyway, thanks for checking in.
Margot
Topics: Progress Reports | 16 Comments »
June 15th, 2011 at 10:28 pm
Who could ever give up looking for an update about your amazing family? Keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers. Hoping for a wonderful summer for you!
June 15th, 2011 at 11:02 pm
I just wanted to empathize with you..I am in the same boat although since my daughter takes the bus I did not have to witness the 5th grade continuation. It would have been a killer. My youngest is also headed off the kindergarten next year and so she will finally be with her sister. Nathan died right before 2nd grade and then my older daughter started kindergarten a few weeks later and never got to be in school with him.
These milestones are just so hard….
I get what yo are saying about Vegas..we stopped there on a road trip and the hotel we stayed at we had to walk past a girl dancing on a platform to get to our room each time. I finally made a some kind of comment and my then 7 year old said she wouldn’t want to have that job because the people were not even watching her…just eating and talking! So – her innocent mind didn’t seem to be affected!
June 16th, 2011 at 12:45 am
Thanks for updating…we’ll never give up…because of Sam (and Max, too!)
June 16th, 2011 at 1:44 am
I am with Lisa. We continue to check in because we love and remember Sam (and need to get a “Sam’s smile” fix), and because we think of all of you, and your journey forward, often. It is so wonderful that you are willing to continue to share Andy and Charlie stories (and Sam stories) with the legion of Sam fans.
June 16th, 2011 at 3:51 am
So happy to hear from you and see you smiling… even through the emotional, tough milestone days…. we’ll never forget our favorite redheaded Sam! Elizabeth just recently sent me a song on you tube and said it always makes her think of Sammy…
Missing Sam and all of you! Hugs to the boys on their end of yr accomplishments and special hugs to you and Neil!
xxoo, Colleen
June 16th, 2011 at 2:23 pm
TeamSam is my home page, and I look everytime I get on to see if there is an update. It is a wonderful way to stay up with what my grandchildren are doing!!! Miss you all. It is awesome to hear the school and sports growth. Have a happy summer, and remember, summer is the best time of the year for “Tour Michigan.” Love you all.
Grandma Joan
June 16th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
Please keep writing. We’ll always be here following…
June 16th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Marg, I talk to you every day and I still regularly check the website! You always have an unheard story or unseen photo. Love the Touch a Truck pictures. The boys proudly wear their shirts.
June 16th, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Im still reading if you are still writing! I very much enjoy reading what you guys have been up to. Someday I hope you guys can bring the boys out to a true Sports Champion city! Bet they would love fenway park!
June 17th, 2011 at 1:25 am
Margot, Your updates are helpful to us all, and they honor Sam beautifully. Always love seeing the photos of all three of your handsome boys – and that other guy who’s always wearing the Notre Dame gear. I know there are so many of us who were thinking of Sam so strongly during Monday’s 5th grade promotion.
Ditto what Colleen says. We all check the website because we love all of the Hutchisons. I know that all your boys, and everyone who loves them, appreciates you continuing to document your journey – even those of us who would rather not be photographed (the fanny pack at Touch-a-Truck, really? ugh!) See you at bootcamp!
June 17th, 2011 at 11:02 am
I think of your family and Sam so very often. I too enjoy reading your updates. Your stories continue to inspire me to live my best life and make the most of it, no matter what my journey brings.
June 17th, 2011 at 6:49 pm
Thank you for updating as you have – I check this site daily to see if there are new posts. We love to hear from you & love the hilarious stories of the Hutchison crew. Miss you & the bootcamp girls. Hugs!
June 17th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Thanks for updating! I check at least once a week to hear about how you guys are doing!
June 19th, 2011 at 6:17 pm
margs-yes, please keep updating…
sam lives in so many ways and for those of us who loved Sam but saw him so infrequently that we have few actual memories we need this page to remind us of how much we lost and how much we all need to get in the game..
T
July 5th, 2011 at 3:28 am
Hi Margot and Neil- went to Kate sessions yesterday and said Hi to Sam. Thought of him alot yesterday while I was at the park. I wished I had 4th of July decorations- I thought about decorating his plaque 🙂 Thought of you on 5th grade graduation- cried a little for you both too! Sending you loving thoughts. I wish I would have known about the lemonade stand- madison would have LOVED to help with it! We will have to go next year. Thinking of you both! Angela (Madison’s Mom)
July 13th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
thinking of you and Sam and your whole family today….and balloons floating in the sky. Jan